Author's Note: Here's the next chapter of "One Moment" please vote and comment to let me know what you think! The song for this chapter is "Do It All Over Again" by Elyar Fox which has just been released! Go follow Elyar at ElyarFox on Twitter, he's amazing :D

Chapter 2: The Party

January 2013...

Over the next week I barely saw Harry, except from a distance and at Lucas' house but he never spoke to me. Then a further two days went by before I saw Harry again. I was busy, too busy for my liking, but that didn't stop his face from popping into my head more than once. I kept telling myself that I was only thinking about him because I was angry, but that was a lie. I wanted to see him again.

The door bell rang just after midday and it was a welcome distraction from the textbooks I was revising from. It had taken me the whole weekend to unpack and I was already behind, but I was indifferent. School didn't seem so important, after everything that had happened in the past few months.

I opened the door to see Harry standing outside, kicking his foot against my door frame. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head but he pushed it back off his face when he saw me, running a hand through his hair.

I leant against the door frame, crossing my arms. "What are you doing here? I thought..."

"Do you want to go to a party?" He interrupted.

I stopped midsentence, taken aback. What was wrong with him? He had acted like I was some spoilt brat the other day and then suddenly he was inviting me to a party?

Harry raised an eyebrow grinning, his green eyes glinting.

"Who's party?" I asked finally.

"Charlie's. Apartment 105A."

"When?"

"Tonight, after eight."

For a moment I didn't say anything, searching his eyes for a sign that it was a set up but he looked innocent enough. "Fine."

His grin widened and he stepped a little closer to the door as if he was more certain now that I wouldn't slam the door in his face. "Want me to pick you up at eight?"

I couldn't keep the sulky tone out of my voice. "I can walk myself down the corridor."

Harry smirked. "See you there then."

I nodded, meeting his eyes for longer than I was comfortable with. It was difficult to look away, he just had this air about him that captured my attention.

Harry made no move to leave, lingering outside until I shut the door. Even then he took his time and I waited until I was sure he was gone before going back through to the kitchen to sit at the table. My textbooks and revision guides were stacked up in front of me but I knew there was no point in trying to study. Harry had gotten inside my head and there was no way I could focus.

It took me nearly an hour to realise that I should have turned down his offer. I had to go back to school the next day and the Christmas break had flown by. I still had so much work to do. But it was too late; there was no way I was giving Harry the satisfaction of watching me cancel on him. I could only imagine the kind of insults he would come up with if I told him that I wasn't going to the party because of homework. Instead I packed away my books and went into the bathroom to wash my hair. My own reflection caught my eye as I walked past the mirror and I groaned inwardly. Why had I opened the door to Harry looking like I had just rolled out of bed? I had mascara smudged under my eyes, a tuft of hair was sticking out of my pony tail and my skin was pale and pasty. Perfect.

Once I finished washing my hair, I wandered around the apartment in my dressing gown looking for the last remaining box of clothes that I hadn't unpacked. Eventually I found it stashed under the sink, by Jamie no doubt, but I still couldn't decide what to wear. How was I supposed to know what everyone else would be wearing? It was ironic that I was going to my first student party before I had even become a student. In the end I decided on a more casual look: skinny jeans, a strapless black lace top and my favourite leather jacket.

By eight o'clock I was ready to go, feeling less than confident but having given up on trying to improve my appearance. I hung around the apartment for another twenty minutes, washing up my plate and cup from lunch and putting the clothes into my new wardrobe to make sure that I wasn't the first to arrive. I paused by the mirror in the hallway on my way out to apply a little more rose-tinted lip-gloss and then finally left the apartment before I had a chance to change my mind.

When I got to apartment 105A, it was Harry who opened the door. He was only wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, giving me a better view of the tattoos that ran up his arms and across his chest, but he looked good. I didn't care what Jamie thought; Harry's tattoos suited him.

"I thought you were going to bail." Was the first thing he said to me. Charming.

"Well I didn't."

"You're late though." He added with a grin, leaning against the door frame and blocking my way.

"Stop messing around, are you going to let me in or not?" I asked, crossing my arms. His attitude was really beginning to irritate me.

He stepped aside so I enter Charlie's apartment. Music was blasting out from all directions and I could hear loud voices coming from different rooms. The apartment wasn't really that different from mine, except maybe a little more spacious.

I looked over my shoulder to see if Harry was following. He was still standing in the doorway and I caught him looking me up and down, his eyes slowly trailing from my face to my feet and half way up again.

"Subtle." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, but I was flattered. Boys like Harry usually didn't look twice at me.

Harry just smirked at me, shrugging. "You look hot in those jeans."

I felt myself blushing, as much as I tried to fight it off, so I turned to walk down the hallway. I could hear Harry following close behind and immediately began to feel self conscious, sensing his eyes on me.

Charlie's apartment was packed with students, some hanging about smoking in doorways and others passing around bottles of vodka, and they each turned to look at me as I passed. I saw surprise register on more than one face when they noticed who I was with.

"Do you want a drink?" Harry asked me.

I nodded and he disappeared into the kitchen, past a couple of boys in hoodies.

I hovered awkwardly in the hall, waiting for him. I couldn't see anyone I recognised and there were several pairs of eyes fixed on me as I fidgeted, adjusting the hem of my lace top.

"Here." Harry said, emerging again with a plastic cup and a bottle of beer.

"Thanks." I replied, taking the cup from him.

Without saying another word, Harry strode down the hallway and pushed open the door at the end so I had no choice but to follow him. The room was larger than I expected but there were people everywhere, sprawled out on sofas and leaning against walls. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Katie, Lucas, Charlie and Talia in one corner.

"Hailey, Harry. Over here." Lucas called waving.

I saw Harry's expression darken but I ignored it and went over to sit down beside Lucas.

Harry lingered behind me, his hands on the back of my chair.

"Do you want a drink?" Lucas asked, holding up another bottle of something that looked and smelled much stronger than whatever Harry had given me.

"She's already got one." Harry snapped.

I glared at him, raising the cup to my lips and gulping the liquid down. "And now I want another one."

Lucas gave Harry a nervous glance when I held my cup out but when Harry didn't say anything, he filled my cup up again.

Talia was looking back and forth between Lucas, Harry and I with a slightly malicious smile on her face. Clearly she was more interested in our drama than her own boyfriend.

I looked away before I could start to get angry again. Whatever her problem was, it was exactly that. Her problem. Not mine. No one else seemed to mind me being there, in fact most of them soon forgot about me when they went back to their drinking games. Except for Lucas that is.

"How's everything going?" He asked with a smile.

"I finally finished unpacking this afternoon." I replied.

"Sounds like you had a fun weekend." Lucas grinned.

"Tell me about it." I groaned. "And I've got to go back to school tomorrow."

"Have you got a car yet?"

"No, I'm broke."

"Do you want me to drive you?" He offered.

Before I could answer, Harry scoffed behind us. "Are you going to carry her bag for her too?"

"Shut up Harry." I said, not even looking at him. He didn't deserve the satisfaction of seeing my furious expression. He had invited me to the stupid party in the first place and now he was just making it awkward.

"Thanks but it's probably out of your way." I said to Lucas.

"Well I'll give you my number and then you can call me if you need me."

I smiled and handed him my phone. At least he wasn't going to be difficult.

Charlie stumbled passed me, tripping over my feet and knocking into the coffee table. "Sorry." He slurred.

Harry shot him a warning stare but he didn't seem to notice.

"Here, have something to drink." He said, waving a bottle at me.

"Oh...I..." I knew I shouldn't. Going to school on the first day back with a hangover was not a good idea but Harry's eyes goaded me.

Charlie didn't give me a chance to decide anyway, sloshing some into my cup and spilling most of it on the floor which he promptly slipped on.

I shook my head; it was only nine o'clock and he could barely stand up.

Harry smirked at my reaction and I stuck my tongue out at him which just made him laugh. Sure I was being childish but he was getting on my nerves.

Before we could carry on with our immature exchanges, someone shouted Harry's name.

"Harry? Harry!"

A tall blonde with fake eyelashes and ridiculously high heels tottered across the wooden floor towards him.

Harry's smirk widened when he saw her but he was looking at me when he spoke. "Hey babe."

She completely ignored the rest of us and practically flung herself onto his lap, winding her arms around his neck. "Where have you been? It's been too long."

One of his arms wrapped around her waist but he was still looking at me. "Yeah. Way to long since we last hooked up."

There go my chances, I thought. I should have known what Harry's type was; ditzy girls with personalities that were as fake as their smiles. Not that I was interested anyway, his mood swings were too much to tolerate.

Charlie staggered back over to us, giving the blonde girl a half-wave before collapsing in a chair beside Talia, another bottle in his hand.

"Maybe you should stop drinking now..." Lucas said.

Charlie wasn't listening; he had already turned his attention to kissing Talia.

"Oh well, I tried." Lucas said with a grin and Katie laughed.

"That was your best effort?"

"It's more than you did." He defended, elbowing his sister good-naturedly.

Watching them messing around made me miss Jamie. He was the only one in my family that I could be myself with and I still wasn't used to seeing him every day. Even when he moved out and got his own apartment with his girlfriend, he still came back to see me every day.

While Charlie was otherwise occupied, Harry switched his glass of WKD for one filled with whisky instead.

"That's mature." I said.

Harry scowled at me. "At least I know how to have fun."

Ten minutes later Talia got up to leave the room, turning back in the doorway to wink at Charlie. Charlie grinned and went after her. They disappeared into another room across the hall together and Harry raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"I thought you two were the ones doing that." He said to me, nodding towards Lucas.

The annoying blonde burst out laughing and Lucas went bright red avoiding eye contact with both of us.

I scowled at Harry. "Grow up."

Before he had a chance to make another comment I got up, standing on his foot accidently-on-purpose as I left the room. The last thing I heard was the blonde's high-pitched laugh.

The hallway was still crowded and the temperature in the apartment was rising as more and more people crammed in so I pushed my way back towards the door and out onto the walkway. It was a relief to be outside. The air was icy but my cheeks were still flaming with embarrassment. The London skyline was brightly lit and I could hear the faint rumble of traffic from the roads below as I leaned over the balcony. More than half an hour must have passed before I even noticed; I was so lost in my own thoughts. He's just a stupid, bored teenager who has nothing better to do than wind me up and try to get under my skin...

"Are you alright?"

I looked around to see Harry hanging around behind me with his hands shoved in his pockets.

I rolled my eyes. "What do you think? I walked out of my own house, moved in somewhere by myself where I don't know anyone else and now you're making everything ten times worse."

"Sorry."

I turned my head again sharply. I wasn't expecting that.

"Why did you tell Lucas about all that, but not me?" He asked, his eyes serious and a slight frown on his face.

"I never got a chance to tell you. Jamie interrupted us, remember?"

Harry nodded slowly, as if a whole new concept was just dawning on him. Then he looked up at me again. "Do you trust me?"

I almost laughed, but something in his eyes made me hold back a little. "No."

His expression changed in a split second and it was his turn to look away.

"I don't trust anyone except Jamie. If you let people in, they let you down."

Harry looked up again, a new smile breaking across his face. "Fair enough."

He stepped closer to me, his eyes boring into mine and I looked down, unable to meet or match the intense stare. I was so confused; keeping up with him was just like trying to play a football match and referee at the same time-pointless and frustrating.

The door to apartment 105A crashed open and Charlie staggered out grinning with his arm around Talia's shoulders. "What's this I hear about people chucking stuff on the roof?"

I shrugged but Harry pointed to the gutter above. It was filled with glass bottles and other assorted litter.

"I better go and get it, before that crazy old lady complains." He grinned, grabbing hold of the balcony pillar.

My heart stopped for a second. He wasn't serious. He wasn't really going to climb up onto the roof while completely intoxicated...was he?

Charlie was balancing on the railing, hanging on with just one hand while Talia laughed. By the distant hazy look in her eyes, I guessed that she was too drunk to think straight either.

"You're going to let him do that?" I shot Harry a horrified glance.

Harry shrugged. "He's always doing shit like that, even when he's sober."

When I looked back, Charlie had already pulled himself up onto the roof. My palms began to sweat as he swayed slightly.

"I can see the whooooole of London from here." He shouted, laughing like a manic.

I couldn't just stand there and say nothing, it was too dangerous. "Go and get him before he falls and breaks his neck!" I hissed at Harry.

"Why me?" He groaned.

"Because you're supposed to be his friend!"

Harry rolled his eyes but handed me his beer can. "Hold this then."

I bit my lip. How much had he had to drink?

My heart was in my mouth as Harry balanced on the narrow ledge and sprung up onto the roof, but he managed it with such ease that my breathing began to steady.

"Come on, get down." Harry said, pulling one of Charlie's arms over his shoulders to support him.

"What about the bottles and stuff?"

"Leave the bloody bottles." I heard Harry say and I smiled to myself, but I couldn't relax until they were both safely standing on the walkway again. Luckily for me, with Harry supporting him, it didn't take too long for either of them to get down.

"Happy now?" Harry said to me, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded with a smile.

"Take him inside." He said to Talia, who glared at him but to my relief she grabbed hold of Charlie's hand and led him inside.

"Are you coming back in? It's freezing out here." Harry asked.

I hesitated, looking back in the direction of my apartment. "I should go..."

Harry shook his head in disbelief. "You just got here and it's only ten o'clock."

"Yeah but I have to get up early tomorrow."

When I looked back at Harry this time, his eyes seemed to hold a challenge. "When was the last time you actually had some fun?"

I opened my mouth to speak but the problem was, I couldn't remember.

Harry smirked, satisfied. "Exactly."

"There's more to life than parties." I huffed.

"If you say so."

I crossed my arms. "So what do you suggest?"

"Just relax, get drunk and have fun." Harry said. "What's so complicated about that?"

"And what happens in the morning?"

Harry grinned. "You wait until it gets dark and then do it all over again."

I laughed in spite of myself. The more I thought about it, the more it sounded like a good idea. It had been ages since I had just let go and I was long overdue a wreckless, irresponsible teenage night out.

Harry was watching me with a mischievous smile. "Well?"

I held up my cup before I could change my mind. "Go on then."

The next three hours flew passed in a blur. Lucas and Katy went home, claiming they had a university lecture early in the morning, while Charlie and Talia disappeared again. The music inside the apartment got louder and louder but I stopped caring as Harry filled up my cup again and again. Then I stole Harry's whisky, which he didn't seem to mind, and that was when I really started to feel tipsy.

At one point I ended up on the floor when I stepped on a can that someone had left on the floor and slipped over. Everyone was laughing at me but for once I found it hilariously funny too and it was at least five minutes before I had calmed down enough to even try to get up.

Harry held out a hand to pull me up and I grabbed hold of it but I nearly ended up pulling him down on top of me as I stumbled backwards, banging my head on the table. I heard a couple of wolf whistles from a group on the other side of the room but I was way passed the point of caring what people thought about Harry and I.

"Owww." I complained, rubbing the back of my head.

Harry threw his head back, laughing out loud and I slapped his arm playfully.

"It's not funny!" I said, but I was still laughing too.

Harry helped me up with his hand under my elbow and tried to pull the whisky bottle out of my hand.

"Nooo!" I protested.

Harry grinned, yanking it out of my hand and holding it above his head so I couldn't reach. "You need to sit down."

I jumped up, my arms reaching up to grab it but as I landed my legs gave way. Luckily I collapsed into the chair behind me and not on the floor again.

"Told you." Harry smirked.

"Shush." I said. "Let's go outside, it's too hot in here."

Grabbing hold of his hand, I pulled him after me but I got the feeling that he would have followed anyway.

When we got outside I leaned over the balcony, looking out over the car park.

"Be careful." Harry said, keeping a tight grip on my hand.

I ignored him, pointing down to the row on the end. "Is that your car?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Can I see it?" I asked kicking my legs back and forth, hanging over the balcony.

"You want to see my car?"

"Yeah...my grandad had one of those...what do you call them?"

"Ford Capri's." Harry said and I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Yeah that's it." I laughed, leaning over a bit further.

"Fine, just get down before you end up falling sixty feet." Harry said, pulling me backwards and I thought I could see a faint shadow of worry in his eyes.

I hopped down, staggering a bit. "Come on then Harold." I giggled.

"Don't fucking call me that." He growled but his eyes were bright and I could tell that he thought my drunken behaviour was cute.

My head was spinning as we walked down the flights of stairs that never seemed to end. Everything was becoming blurry and it was getting increasingly harder to walk in a straight line.

Harry was holding me up, and I felt his arm wind around my waist so I leant into his shoulder.

"You smell nice."

Harry smirked. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." I trailed my fingers up his bare arm, admiring the tattoos.

"Do you like them?" He asked when he noticed.

I nodded. "They look hot."

Harry laughed. "I never thought I'd hear you admit that."

I was beginning to feel sick by the time we got to the bottom of the stairs and my mind was foggy. I could hear Harry talking to me, but my brain wouldn't focus on the words.

"Hailey?"

"What?"

"Never mind." Harry laughed.

"Where are we going again?"

"To my car."

"Oh yeah." I started to giggle hysterically and Harry looked at me like I was crazy.

"Sss...sorry." I tried, but I couldn't stop.

Harry just shook his head and opened the door for me, letting me go first but with his arm still around my waist to support me.

When we reached the other side of the car park, Harry pulled his keys out of his back pocket.

"Do you want to go for a drive?" He asked, unlocking the car.

"No, you'll crash or get arrested." I said. Thankfully part of my brain was still working enough for me to realise it was a bad idea for Harry to drive, but I got in the car anyway because it was warmer than standing outside.

"I'm not drunk."

"You're not sober either."

"Whatever. Uh crap." Harry said he got into the car too and banged his head on the roof.

I burst out laughing again. The sight was just so comical, even though he looked like a movie star behind the wheel of the sleek black Capri.

Harry rolled his eyes and started the engine so he could turn the heater on.

I sat back, leaning my head against the headrest of the black leather seat. Memories of the last few months filtered back into my mind as I let my guard down but I pushed them away. "You know what?"

"What?" Harry asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"I don't even want to go to uni. Maybe I'll go and travel the world instead."

"Oh yeah? Where are you going to go?"

"Hmmm..." I tried to think, but all of a sudden it was like all of the names of places I wanted to go were hiding under the fog in my mind. "Manchester?"

Harry erupted into a fit of laughter. "That's your idea of travelling the world?"

At the time, I couldn't understand why he found it so funny. "Maybe."

After a few moments of silence, I turned to Harry. "You're different."

He raised an eyebrow. "How'd you mean?"

"I don't know. But you're alright when you're not acting like a jerk."

He looked surprised, but a slow smile spread across his face. "I thought you didn't like me."

"Things change." I said, moving closer so that I was leaning over the gear box onto the driver's side. "Tonight was fun."

"I told you it would be." He said, a cheeky grin on his face with his tongue between his teeth.

It struck me how different Harry was when it was just the two of us. He was still guarded but I liked the way he was around me. "We should do this more often."

Harry's voice dropped an octave and he leaned closer. "Yeah we should."

I felt my cheeks flushing under his gaze and I became far more conscious of my heart thumping in my chest. His eyes were so bright, even in the dim light, and when he ran a hand through his hair I felt my breathing hitch in my chest.

Harry's hand moved up to my face, his fingers brushing across my cheek bone and he was so close that I could smell his expensive cologne again along with the faint whiff of whisky.

I knew where this was bound to go, but for once I didn't care. I wanted a distraction from the rest of my life but it was more than that. He was more than that.